This invention relates to a fluorescent spectral analysis apparatus, which is simple, has high utility and permits effective fluorescent analysis of a portion of the body, for instance, by a single photon counting method.
Recently, diagnostic medical technology using lasers has been actively developed. For example, it has been a practice to cure cancer through a photochemical reaction of pigments (e.g., hematoporphyrin) selectively introduced in the cancer tissues and excited by irradiation with laser beams. Also, it has been a practice, for the purpose of diagnostic medical treatment, to make spectral analysis of cancer tissues or pigments selectively introduced therein using a laser excited fluorescent microscope or the like.
Heretofore, the spectral analysis of cancer tissues or the like using the laser-excited fluorescent microscope is carried out by irradiating the subject portion to be analyzed with exciting laser beams and coupling fluorescent light generated from the subject portion due to irradiation of the laser beams through a monochrometer to a multi-channel spectral analysis apparatus or the like. The monochrometer, however, is a large-scale optical instrument requiring precise adjustment, so that its operability and portability are very inferior. Besides, the sensitivity of the spectral analysis is low. Therefore, it is impossible to make ready fluorescent analysis of the intended portion.